


Maybe One Day

by xjopper



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Jopper, Second Chances, Young Jopper, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:33:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24232144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xjopper/pseuds/xjopper
Summary: After Vietnam, Hopper is back in Hawkins and he wants a second chance but what if he’s just a little bit too late? What will Joyce say?
Relationships: Joyce Byers & Jim "Chief" Hopper, Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper
Comments: 7
Kudos: 18





	Maybe One Day

Meet me tonight at our spot at whatever time works best.   
I’ll wait for you the whole night if I have to. I need to see you.

The note was written on a piece of paper folded up in half. She found it that morning, in the middle of the envelopes with bills she didn’t know how she was going to pay at the end of the month. It didn’t say much; It was simple and right to the point. It wasn’t signed but it didn’t need to be: she knew exactly who had written it. She would recognize that handwriting anywhere… too many rumpled pieces of paper with barely legible scribbles like those had been passed to her during classes over the last couple of years of high school.

She stared at the piece of paper in her hands for a while, white as a ghost, thankful that no one was home to see her and ask any questions. An overwhelming sense of relief brought tears to her eyes and she thought back to all the nights she had spent awake in bed, thinking about him, wondering if he was safe, if he was alive, praying that he’d come back safe. 

She hadn’t heard from him in a while. They had exchanged letters for months after he left but after a while, she stopped replying to his and even though he insisted for a while, it didn’t take long for his letters to stop coming too. She told herself she was just trying to protect herself, that she had to stop before she was in too deep because she knew there was a good chance he wasn’t coming back and she wouldn’t be able to overcome that. But deep down, she knew the true reason why she’d stopped writing to him was fear of telling him she’d moved on. She felt guilty, like she’d betrayed him by finding someone else. It just happened. She hadn’t been looking for another guy, hadn’t hoped she would find someone else… but she was sad, vulnerable, in need of a distraction and Lonnie was what she thought she needed at the time.

In different circumstances, getting that handwritten note would have made her the happiest woman in town but in that moment she couldn’t help but chuckle at his bad timing. She desperately wanted to see him; she wanted to know if he was ok, to feel his arms around her, to hear his voice but for a short moment, she considered not going. She knew it was bound to be a disaster, that they were likely gonna hurt each other… but she needed to see him one last time before everything changed.

As 9pm rolled around, she found herself in her clunker, gripping the wheels as if her life depended on it, her heart beating dangerously fast in her ribcage. Part of her hoped the old car would give out before she arrived at her destination but as much as she was dreading meeting him, the idea of being stuck in the middle of an old road in the middle of the night with no way of going home was even less appealing.

That was not how she had imagined that night. She should be at home, getting ready to go to sleep, to get some much-needed rest before what she was sure was going to be a really long day. Instead, she was on he way to meet one of her favorite people, at one of her favorite places in town: Lover’s Lake.

She knew it was cliché but it was true. When she was young, she was fascinated by the heart-shaped form of the lake. As she got older and started spending more time there, most times with him, seeking refuge from the rest of the world and enjoying each other’s companies, it gained a whole new meaning. When she thought of the lake, it only brought back good memories and the thought of tainting them made her stomach churn.

She recognized the car parked in the woods near the lake as his mother’s and parked hers nearby, but facing the way out, knowing there was a good chance she was going to need to get away as fast as possible when their conversation was over.

‘Here goes nothing’ Joyce whispered to herself after taking a deep breath and getting out of the car. 

Her breath got caught in her throat when her eyes finally landed on him but he didn’t notice her presence right away and she stood there in silence, studying him. He looked different- he had lost some weight, his hair was shorter, his shoulders were broader and there were deep dark circles under his eyes- but he was still Hopper and she wanted nothing more than to run to him, throw her arms around him and never let him go.

Even though she hadn’t yet talked to him, he heart was aching. The thought of hurting him, of causing his any pain made her sick but she didn’t have a choice… not really. She knew what she had to do but as she stood there, looking at him, she couldn’t help but think about the future they would never have and it broke her heart.

Knowing she had to get it over with, that she should just rip off the band-aid, she slowly approached him, making her presence known. “Joyce,” He whispered, sounding almost relieved, as if he’d been longing to say her name for way too long and in that moment she realized how much she had missed him.

“Hey,” she replied, a faint flush coloring her cheeks, “I didn’t know you were back.”

“Arrived last night. I as supposed to have come back a few weeks ago but I was needed over there… you know how it is.” He said, rubbing the back of his neck and she couldn’t help but internally scoff at the thought that the universe must really be against them… that if he had come back when he had originally planned the situation would perhaps be different and they’d have a chance. It was a bitter realization.

“How are you?”

“I’m… I’m ok, I guess.” He replied, looking at the reflection of the moon on the lake, “As well as one can be, considering… But I was lucky. I know a lot of guys who can’t say the same.” He added, a tight smile on his face, and before she knew what she was doing, her arms were around him as she enveloped him in a tight hug, trying somehow to comfort him. She had no idea what he’d been through, what he had seen but she knew he was going to have a hard time dealing with the memories.

“I’m really glad you’re back.” She whispered in his ear and he hugged her back, running his hand through her hair and she wished they could stay like that forever.

“Enough about me.” He said a while later, when they let go of each other, clearly not in the mood to talk about everything that had happened since the last time they’d seen each other. “What have you been up to?”

There it was… the question she knew he was going to ask, the one she’d been dreading since she read his note that morning. She knew he wasn’t going to like the answer, she wasn’t even sure she liked the answer and for a few seconds she considered not telling him anything but they lived in Hawkins… she could try to hide it as much as she wanted but he would hear something through the grapevine sooner or later (in fact, she was surprised he hadn’t heard about it yet) and she would rather he heard it from her than from some old gossip in town. She owed him that much.

“I’m getting married tomorrow.” She finally admitted.

“Married.” He said, surprised, shocked even, as if that was the last answer he had expected to hear. “You’re getting married… tomorrow?” He asked, incredulous and she nodded before looking around, suddenly unable to hold his gaze. 

They stayed in silence for a while, neither of them knowing what to say next. She sat down on a rock nearby, looking at the lake, while he paced around, running his hands through his short hair, clearly distressed. She had been expecting this kind of reaction but it was only making her more nervous. 

“Who’s the lucky guy?” He asked and in that moment all she wanted was for the ground to swallow her whole. She looked up at him, feeling self-conscious, and gulped audibly.

“Lonnie.” She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Lonnie Byers?” He asked, the contempt he felt for Lonnie clear in his voice, “You’re marrying Lonnie fucking Byers? What the hell, Joyce? What were you thinking?” He asked, raising his voice as his brain registered what she said.

“Don’t you DARE talk to me like that!” She said, getting up, “You are the one who left! You’re the one who gave up on us!” She yelled, poking his chest, “You can’t blame me for moving on. You don’t have the right to do that!”

“I know… God, Joyce, I know! I’m not- I’m not blaming you. It’s just… Lonnie Byers?” He said his name like it was dirty, “He’s a piece of shit!” He scoffed.

“He’s not that bad.” She muttered under her breath but in the silence of the night, it was loud enough for him to hear.

“He’s not that bad? Joy, Lonnie is a fuck-up. He’s trouble, always has been and he’s not gonna change now. Have you forgotten everything he did back in high school?”

“Do you think I wanted this, Hopper? Because I didn’t! But you left! You left and I didn’t know if you were ever coming back!” Joyce yelled, her eyes welling up with tears.

“So now it’s my fault you’re marrying him?” 

“What? That’s not not what I’m saying! Don’t put words in my mouth.” She replied, “All I’m saying is that I had a hard time when you left… I mean I know we broke up before you left, I know you were only trying to protect me, that you didn’t want me just sit and wait for a day we both knew could never come but my feelings didn’t change in the slightest. I tried to wait for you. I wanted to wait for you, I swear I did but after a while I just couldn’t live like that anymore, Hopper. It was torture. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat. I was always thinking of you in that place, wondering if you were still alive. When your letters didn’t arrive on time I always assumed the worse and whenever your mom knocked on my door, I feared she was gonna tell me you were…gone. That’s no way to live, Hop. I felt weak and powerless and you know how much I hate feeling that way. So I had to distance myself for a while and focus on getting my life back.”

“So that’s why you stopped replying to my messages…” He said, looking guilty, “I was so mad at you I didn’t even try to understand. I’m so sorry, Joyce. I never meant for any of that to happen.” He apologized, taking her hand in his and squeezing it.

“I didn’t plan this, Hopper. It just… happened, I guess. I was alone and he was there for me and… it happened. And now there’s no going back.”

“The hell there isn’t, Joy!” He quickly replied, “You just need to call off the wedding, tell Lonnie to fuck off and we can… we can leave! Yeah, let’s get out of here!” He suddenly said, as if he’d just had the best idea in the world, “We can leave right now, get out of this shit-hole and start over together.” Her heart broke when she saw the hope in his eyes as he cupped her face in his hands, “All I’m asking is that you give me another chance, Joyce. Please.” 

She brought a hand to his face and slowly traced his bottom lip with her thumb, a sad smile on her face. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to say yes. She wanted to get in the car with him and leave Hawkins without looking back and never come back. In fact, she was sure she had never wanted anything so much in her life.

“I can’t.” She finally said, defeated.

“Look, I know I hurt you when I left but I’m here now, we are both here now and if you give me another chance I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you. We can make this right, Joyce. Just say yes.” 

“If you’d come back and told me all this a couple months ago I wouldn’t have hesitated, Hop. But it’s too late now.” She said, the tears in her eyes making her vision blurry.

“Why is it too late, Joyce? Because of the wedding?” He asked, “Call it off, leave him at the altar, I don’t care. He doesn’t deserve you, anyway. You’re too good for someone like him. Just… come with me. Please, Joy!” He all but begged.

“Hop-”

“Do you love him, Joyce?” He asked and she had to look away before nodding, biting her lip, “Can you look me in the eye and honestly tell me you love him?” He insisted, gently turning her face to face him. As soon as their eyes met, she knew she couldn’t lie to him.

“I’m pregnant, Hopper.” She finally admitted, looking down, and the tears she had been trying so hard to hold finally started running down her face.

“You’re- ok… that’s... ok.” She wasn’t sure who he wasn’t trying to reassure, “We’ll leave as soon as possible. Hell, we can literally leave right now if you want and I’ll take care of you. I’ll take care of both of you. You just need to say the word.”

As soon as those words left his mouth, she knew she had made a big mistake. She realized in that moment that she had chosen the wrong guy, that she should have waited, no matter how hard it was, but it was too late now. There was nothing she could do. She had to accept her reality and learn to live with her mistakes.

“Oh, Hop. Please, please believe me when I say that I wouldn’t have thought twice before saying yes if the circumstances were different. But this… this is my reality now and I would never be able to look myself in the mirror if I took my kid away from their dad. I know Lonnie can be a jerk but I have to give him a chance to do this. I can’t take this away from him.”

His eyes kept pleading with her to reconsider but she knew she was right and that deep down, he agreed with her. Maybe he couldn’t see it in that moment but she knew him, and she knew that he would once he calmed down and thought about it.

“You’re gonna be a great dad one day, Hop. I’m sure of that.” She said, smiling sadly at him, wishing she could be part of that future but doubting she ever would.

When she realized Hopper wasn’t going to say anything else, she approached him and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Goodbye Hop.”

She was about to turn around and leave when he grabbed her arm, “Please, Joyce. I need you.” His whispered plead broke her heart all over again. He sounded so defeated and desperate and she hated herself for being part of the cause of his pain but she knew that despite all the mistakes and bad decisions that led them there and all the pain they were both feeling in that moment, she was making the right decision. She was sure of that.

“I love you, Jim.” She said and, without giving herself time to think about it and chicken out, she kissed him. It was soft and slow and it was over way too soon; it was a goodbye kiss, one last memory of him, one that she was sure she would savor for years to come. “I will always love you. Please never forget that.”

Their timing had never been right. First, they ignored their feelings for so long that when they finally got together, they didn’t have enough time to build a relationship that was strong enough to survive him leaving. Now, he asked her for another chance just a couple months too late and she couldn’t say yes.

"Maybe one day, Hop.”

“Maybe one day.” He repeated, nodding slightly, and she knew that was her cue. 

Praying she hadn’t just made the biggest mistake of her life by letting him go, she smiled at him one last time, turned around and all but ran to her car as the tears kept rolling down her face.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys,  
> I hope you liked this story. I've had this idea in my head for ages and when I noticed the lack of new Jopper fanfics I decided to give it a try.   
> I hope you liked it!! I tried my best to make it as good as possible. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments. (Constructive criticism is VERY welcome).
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and stay safe :))


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